Snapchat adds a new subscription tier for Lenses

Snapchat has added a new layer to its paid offerings. The Lens+ subscription combines the existing Snapchat+ monthly plan with more access to "hundreds of Lenses and AR experiences that let you play, create, and share Snaps with friends in whole new ways." The plan will cost $9 a month.

At the start, the subscription will feature Lenses made by the company or by select creators. New augmented reality experiences will be added each week. Creators will be granted the option to build and monetize Lenses for the program in the coming months, although Snapchat hasn't publicly explained how it will select the "select" participants. A representative from the business confirmed to TechCrunch that the launch of Lens+ will not see any Lenses that were previously free placed behind a paywall.

The social media platform introduced the Snapchat+ paid option in 2022. According to the blog post announcing this extra option, the program has 15 million subscribers. The Lens program has been taking advantage of developments in AI. Already this year, the company debuted generative AI video Lenses for Premium subscribers and released a standalone app for any user to create their own effects. Snapchat's other AR project is Specs, a set of glasses that it expects to release next year.